Detector-bar clip and link.



Patented Jan. 2|, 1902'.

w, H. B. LAVA BACK. DETECTOR B-AB CLIP AND-LINK.

(Application filed May 233, 1901.)

(No Model.)

. m 4 m r .w n a v 3 l Pica WITNESSES Tn: uomus PETERS co rum-ammo. wAsnmcrrcmp. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

WILLIAM H. B. LAVARAOK, OF TROY, NEYV YORK.

DETECTOR-BAR CLIP AND LINK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,640, dated January 21, 1902.

Application filed May 23, 1901. Serial No. 61,558. (No-model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. B. LAVA- RACK, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Troy, county of Rensselaer, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Detector-Bar Clips and Links, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements; and it consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, which form a' specification.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows a railwayrail and detector-bar in cross-section with my improved clip and link secured thereto in the usual position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my improved link and serrated support depart of this tached from the clamping mechanism and the detector-bar. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the same, taken on the broken line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. at is a view of the serrated support similar to that shown in Fig. 2, the link member being removed. Fig. 5 is a side view of the same in a position at right angles to that shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a view of the link detached,similar to that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a side view of the same in a position at right angles to that shown in Fig. 6.

The rails used by difierent railway companies differ in height, and in some cases the diiference is considerable; but it is essential that the detector-bar used in connection with signal systems should be maintained approximately at the same distance from the top of the rail to be properly engaged by the wheels of a passing locomotive, and it frequently happens that much expense is entailed in the installation of the signal system by reason of this variation. I have overcome this difficulty by providing a detector-bar link and means for supporting the same in differing positions relatively to its support, which support may be secured to the base of the rail in any known manner.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the top or ball of the rail, and 2 the detector-bar, shown in a relative position proper for preventing the displacement of a switch. a link-support 3 secured to the base 4: of the rail in the usual well-known manner, as by the clamps 5 and 6 and bolt 7, lhe support being secured to the clamp 6 by means of the pin 8 passing through the same and the aperture 9 in the support, also in the usual wellknown manner. It is obvious that the support may be secured to the rail in any known manner or made integral with the rail-clip.

I have shown as a preferred form of connection between the support and link a channel 10 in the support, having one of its vertical walls 12 provided on its inner side with the teeth or serrations 13 and the wall 14 on the opposite-side of the channel beveled on the inner side, so as to flare outwardly, the beveled surface being shown at 15 in Figs. 2 and 4.

I have shown The link 20 is provided on one side with l the teeth or serrations 21, adapted to fit in between the teeth or serrations 13 on the support, and on the opposite side with -a beveled wall 22, (indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 6,) adapted to engageand fit the beveled wall 15 on the support, so that the link may be inserted in the channel 10 of the support with its teeth interlocking with the teeth of the support, as shown in Fig. 2, the link being made of the proper size to fill and fit the channel. The link is also provided with an elongated aperture 23, adapted to receive the bolt 24, inserted therein and through the bolt-hole 25 in the support, as seen in Fig. 3. The link is also provided with a channel or recess 26, adapted to receive the head 27 of the bolt. The link is also provided with a bolt-hole 28, adapted to receive the bolt 29, passing through the detector-bar and the link, as seen in Fig. 1, by means of which the de tector-bar is supported on the upper end of the link.

The link is shown secured to the support in an interlocking position in Fig. 2 as well as in Fig. 1. To change the position of the link relatively to its support, it is only necessary to remove the bolt 27, which is held in place by the nut 30, lift the link from the channel in its support, reinsert the same with its teeth 21 interlocking with other teeth on the support, and reinsert the bolt to change IOC the interlocking position of the two members, whereby the link may be secured in diifering interlocking positions relatively to the support, thereby increasing or diminishing the distance between the aperture 9 of the support and the aperture in the link, whereby the detector-bar may be supported at the desired distance above the base of the rail to secure its proper position relatively to the tops of rails of differing heights.

The two members constituting the link and support are generally made of malleable castiron, which renders it almost impossible to secure exact uniformity in the size and shape of these two members.

By having one of the walls of the support and one of the sides of the link correspondingly beveled, as before explained, the link can be made to fit tightly within the channel of its support when the members are drawn together by means of the bolt 27, since it is not essential that the link should come into engagement with the bottom of the channel, and the variation in the size of the two members before referred to is never sufficient to prevent the link from being drawn sufficiently far into the channel of its support to hold the two bars tightly interlocked with each other or permit the link to be drawn to the bottom of the channel without closely engaging both the side walls inclosing the channel of the support, thereby preventing any looseness or rattling of themembers. Furthermore,should the nut on the bolt 27 work loose, so as to permit of a partial escape of the link from the channel of its support, the beveled wall of the support will also hold the serrations or i teeth on the link interlocked with the serra- I am thus able detector-bar at the proper height relatively to the top of the rail, and which cannot get out of order or escape from its interlocking position to accidentally change the position of the detector-bar relatively to the rail.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a detector-bar clip and link, the combination with a serrated or toothed support; and means for securing the support to a railway-rail; of an adjustable detector-bar link having a serrated or toothed wall adapted to interlock in differing positions with the serrated or toothed wall of the support; and means for securing the serrated parts in differinginterlocking positions, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a channeled supporthavingaserrated channel-wall; ofan adjustable link having a serrated wall adapted to fit the channel in the support, with such serrated walls interlocking with each other; and means for securing the link and support in differing interlocking positions, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a channeled support having one of its channel-walls serrated and its wall opposite the serrated Wall beveled to flare outwardly; of an adjustable link having a serrated wall on one side and a beveled wall on its side opposite the serrated wall, and adpated to fit the serrated and beveled channel in the support with the beveled walls in engagement, and the serrated walls interlocking, with each other; and means for securing the link and support in diflfering intel-locking positions, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of May, 1901.

WILLIAM H. B. LAVARACK.

Witnesses:

E. M. OREILLY, H120. A. MOSHER. 

